NEWS FROM THE WATERSHED

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O c t o b e r 2 0 1 8 NEWS FROM THE WATERSHED T h e C o q u i l l e W a t e r s h e d A s s o c i a t i o n Q u a r t e r l y E - N e w s l e t t e r Dear Members and Friends, Wishing you all a happy

1 O c t o b e r NEWS FROM THE WATERSHED T h e C o q u i l l e W a t e r s h e d A s s o c i a t i o n Q u a r t e r l y E - N e w s l e t t e r Dear Members and Friends, Wishing you all a happy and bountiful fall! The CoqWA staff and I are excited to bring you our newest edition of the e-newsletter including program updates, new staff biographies, and our new segment: the Board member spotlight. We have some exciting updates to share with you all: Strategic Plan: The CoqWA Board of Directors and staff have just completed our 5 Year Strategic Plan, a process that we initiated at the beginning of this year. We're proud of the final product and believe that this document will serve as an excellent road map for the organization's continued success in the coming years. Now that the plan is written, we will track progress and report out at future Board meetings. To review the full plan, please click here or go to the "About Us" section of our website. Changes in the Board of Directors: Over the past few months there have been a handful of changes to the membership of our Board of Directors. Firstly, Julie Huff, our President has stepped down from her position to join the staff of the organization, please see more on the New Staff page! It has been a pleasure to work with Julie in her role as President and I'm excited to work with her in this new capacity! Tom Jefferson, of Bandon, has stepped up to become our new President and Bob Sproul, of the East Fork, has filled our Officer at Large position on the Executive Committee. Many thanks to both of them! If you are interested in learning more about serving on the Board of Directors please contact Tom or myself. Recent awards from the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board! Please click here to a press release overviewing our successful OWEB grant awards totalling $1.5 million in funds to support 2 CoqWA projects that will improve fish passage, enhance habitats and water quality, and enhance our local economy. Sincerely, Mel Dunne Mel Dunne Executive Director director@coquillewatershed.org The Coquille Watershed Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with the mission to promote ecologic and economic resiliency in the Coquille watershed.

Temperature Sensing (DTS) systems. She is excited to be working locally and applying knowledge she gained at OSU while earning her Master s degree in Water Resources Engineering.

2 NEW STAFF G e t t o k n o w o u r n e w s t a f f! Julie Huff - Monitoring Program Manager jhuff@coquillewatershed.org Before Julie joined the ranks of the Coquille Watershed Association as the Monitoring Program Manager she was immersed in the Environmental Consulting world working primarily with Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS) systems. She is excited to be working locally and applying knowledge she gained at OSU while earning her Master s degree in Water Resources Engineering. When not at work you can find Julie playing with her family in Coos County, camping around Oregon or volunteering with the Bridge Grange. Rushal Sedlemyer - Program Technician rsedlemyer@coquillewatershed.org Rushal Sedlemyer joined the Coquille Watershed Association staff in the Spring of 2018 to gather data for basin assessments and lead our summer field crew. She is a Coquille High School graduate of 2011 and has received her B.S. in Natural Resources with a focus on Fish and Wildlife Conservation from Oregon State University. While studying, Rushal has worked with other local organizations such as the Coos Watershed Association and the South Slough NERR to gain experience in the field. Now Rushal has the opportunity to work as a technician for our Winter Lakes Monitoring Project and assist with other various projects. In her free time you can find Rushal volunteering at the community bike shop, hiking, listening to music, and enjoying time with friends.

I have spent a lot of time in that watershed and there are some beautiful places and people out there. There is great fishing, hiking and hunting opportunities too.

3 BOARD MEMBER SPOTLIGHT G e t t o k n o w o u r B o a r d m e m b e r s! Helena Linnell Current Position on the Board: Secretary Occupation: Biological Planning and Operations Manager for the Coquille Indian Tribe Favorite Fork of the Coquille: North Fork Coquille. I have spent a lot of time in that watershed and there are some beautiful places and people out there. There is great fishing, hiking and hunting opportunities too. Favorite fish or wildlife species found in the watershed? Oh that s a tough one! But I would have to say Pacific lamprey. Most people get the willies just looking at them but they are so cool! They have been around since the dinosaurs, making it one of the oldest fishes. It also has no bones and feels more like a snake when you grab one, which makes it challenging. They have been a cultural food source for many Tribes on the west coast since time immemorial- as they were (and still are) valued for their caloric rich meat and fat. I could go on and on Lamprey photographed during a 2017 survey of Sandy Creek. What is your favorite part of serving on the Board? Being a part of the Board of Directors for CoqWA is a very rewarding experience. Being a part of an organization that brings together many landowners from the different forks who represent diverse viewpoints (timber, agriculture, small/private landowners, many others) is a wonderful thing. Seeing the camaraderie build amongst folks who hold, often, varied beliefs is an incredible thing. Often, in this day and age, we are fighting against each other, and this is a place where we are working together towards a common goal - Coquille watershed health.

RESTORATION U p d a t e s o n C u r r e n t P r o j e c t s 2018 Instream Accomplishments - Kyle Motley, Restoration Program Manager Elk Creek CoqWA used five large blowdowns located in the Elk Creek

Mark Villers of Blue Ridge Timber was able to key in large pieces to make stable structures that will withstand high winter flows while being able to provide habitat for anadromous fish, naturally

Future restoration actions include replacing a perched, undersized culvert between the two structures with a bridge to improve fish passage, hydrological connection and natural gravel delivery.

Steel Creek - CoqWA worked with the BLM, East Fork Lumber and Jensen s Tree Service to restore habitat for coho salmon and other native migratory fish in the Steel Creek drainage.

4 RESTORATION U p d a t e s o n C u r r e n t P r o j e c t s 2018 Instream Accomplishments - Kyle Motley, Restoration Program Manager Elk Creek CoqWA used five large blowdowns located in the Elk Creek drainage to construct large wood jams on Elk Creek and a tributary. Mark Villers of Blue Ridge Timber was able to key in large pieces to make stable structures that will withstand high winter flows while being able to provide habitat for anadromous fish, naturally recruit gravel and create complexity in a system currently downcut to bedrock. A large blowdown was also pulled into a tributary of Elk Creek on Coquille Indian Tribe property. Future restoration actions include replacing a perched, undersized culvert between the two structures with a bridge to improve fish passage, hydrological connection and natural gravel delivery. Funding: BLM Partners: BLM, Coquille Indian Tribe Contractor: Blue Ridge Timber. Steel Creek - CoqWA worked with the BLM, East Fork Lumber and Jensen s Tree Service to restore habitat for coho salmon and other native migratory fish in the Steel Creek drainage. With funding from the BLM, CoqWA purchased 110 logs from East Fork Lumber which where placed in 9 constructed log jams in Steel Creek. These log jams will mimic natural wood input into the stream and will slow down water during high winter flows, recruit spawning gravel and create pools and off channel habitat for salmon, steelhead and cutthroat trout. Road surveys have been performed to address sediment input into Steel Creek and road improvement projects will be developed and implemented in the future. Funding provided by: BLM and USFWS. Exciting News - New Funding For Upcoming Projects! BLM Award - $47,983 - Woodward Creek Restoration OWEB Award - $808,600 - Seestrom Tidelands and Working Lands Restoration OWEB Award - $685,573 - Baker Creek Culvert Removal

MONITORING U p d a t e s o n t h e W i n t e r L a k e M o n i t o r i n g P r o j e c t Winter Lake Restoration Effectiveness Monitoring Project - Julie Huff, Monitoring Program Manager The Winter

Monitoring of the 1700-acre site is crucial to understanding how restoration efforts affect fish and wildlife species and the agricultural operations of the site.

Specifically, we will measure 16 parameters at 51 different sites that can be grouped into three categories: fish passage, fish habitat quality and quantity, and fish response/movement.

5 MONITORING U p d a t e s o n t h e W i n t e r L a k e M o n i t o r i n g P r o j e c t Winter Lake Restoration Effectiveness Monitoring Project - Julie Huff, Monitoring Program Manager The Winter Lake restoration project is wrapping up with tide gate installation complete, new tidally influenced channels created, and riparian planting starting this month! Monitoring of the 1700-acre site is crucial to understanding how restoration efforts affect fish and wildlife species and the agricultural operations of the site. This project is focused on monitoring juvenile coho rearing habitat and their response to the restoration actions. Specifically, we will measure 16 parameters at 51 different sites that can be grouped into three categories: fish passage, fish habitat quality and quantity, and fish response/movement. The on-the-ground effort of monitoring has just begun with initial measurements taken and instrumentation infrastructure installed. The next step is to install and calibrate instruments and fish sampling is to begin in mid-november. Stay tuned for many updates to come as the project moves forward over the next 4 years! Project partners include: OR Department of Fish and Wildlife, Beaver Slough Drainage District, and the Coquille Indian Tribe. Technical advice is also provided by the Dept. of Environmental Quality. Funding for this project is provided by the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board. Photo points from the project site! About 20 points will be revisited yearly to track the restoration outcomes over time.

NOXIOUS WEEDS U p d a t e s o n C u r r e n t I n i t i a t i v e s Early Detection and Rapid Response (EDRR) Update - Goldie Warncke, Noxious Weeds Program Manager Summer 2018 The 2018 summer Early

The landowner outreach was amazing and we had many community members supportive of our work to reduce noxious weeds on forest lands, ranches, cities, and more.

See some of our handy work at Sturdivant Park and along the roadside on Fairview and Labrador Ln, in Coquille.

There are still a few more weeks to reduce the spread of knotweed and stunt the growth of year s shoots. Please remember, we always use aquatic safe formulations!

Before Fall/Winter 2018 Upcoming Activities In the fall and into the early winter our EDRR mapping and treatment program will focus on Yellow Flag Iris and Gorse.

6 NOXIOUS WEEDS U p d a t e s o n C u r r e n t I n i t i a t i v e s Early Detection and Rapid Response (EDRR) Update - Goldie Warncke, Noxious Weeds Program Manager Summer 2018 The 2018 summer Early Detection Rapid Response knotweed season is slowly closing down in the next couple of weeks. The landowner outreach was amazing and we had many community members supportive of our work to reduce noxious weeds on forest lands, ranches, cities, and more. In partnership with the BLM (Tristan Huff), we have successfully treated outlier populations of knotweed in Coquille, Myrtle Point and Powers. See some of our handy work at Sturdivant Park and along the roadside on Fairview and Labrador Ln, in Coquille. Remember to keep your eyes out for knotweed patches in our watershed and share those locations with me! There are still a few more weeks to reduce the spread of knotweed and stunt the growth of year s shoots. Please remember, we always use aquatic safe formulations! If you have questions about our treatment methods please get in touch! After! Before Fall/Winter 2018 Upcoming Activities In the fall and into the early winter our EDRR mapping and treatment program will focus on Yellow Flag Iris and Gorse. Yellow Flag Iris is poisonous to both livestock and humans. When ingested it can cause gastrointestinal distress and lethargy. The resin from the plant can cause skin irritations and burn skin on contact. If you see Yellow Flag Iris growing in the watershed and want tips on removal methods, please contact me! For more information on gorse go to Yellow flag iris: sword-like leaves and yellow flowers that have purple veins. Many thanks to our partners: Coos Watershed Association, Coos County Noxious Weed Control District Advisory Board, and BLM. Funding for the EDRR program is provided through the Oregon State Weed Board. For more information on the impact of noxious weeds on watershed health, management options, and CoqWA other Noxious Weeds initiatives please see our website!

Our booth at the Cranberry Festival highlighted the work of the Gorse Action Group. Locals and vistors alike, stopped by to talk about weeds, streams, and natural resources.

7 EDUCATION AND OUTREACH U p d a t e s o n C u r r e n t I n i t i a t i v e s CoqWA in the community! September was a great month for Education and Outreach. The Coquille Watershed Association had booths at the Cranberry Festivial in Bandon and the Harvest Festival in Myrtle Point. Our booth at the Cranberry Festival highlighted the work of the Gorse Action Group. Locals and vistors alike, stopped by to talk about weeds, streams, and natural resources. At both festivals we busted out the button maker (provided by the US Forest Service). Making buttons is a great way to engage in conversations about watershed science and it give kids an educational take home item from our booth. If you would like to volunteer to help out at our next outreach booth or know of a festival that would be a good candidate for Coquille Watershed Association outreach please contact me at gwarncke@coquillewatershed.org. Above: President Tom Jefferson and staff Goldie Warncke at the Cranberry Festival. Right: Board member Jim Neilsen making buttons with some young watershed enthusiasts! Cunningham Creek - Coquille's Living Laboratory Throughout the school year the Coquille Valley Elementary third grade students will be participating in art and science lessons on watershed science and stewardship, salmon, working lands, and leading an on the ground restoration project on Cunningham Creek at CVE. Also, the Coquille Jr. High art classes will be developing natural resource art projects. Both CVE and Jr. High students will have the opportunity to display their work at the Coquille Valley Art Assoc. and other locations. Look to next e- newsletter for an depth review of our work to date with the students at CVE and Jr. High! Partners: Coquille School District, CVAA, SWOCC, ODFW, BLM. Funding provided by the Wild Rivers Coast Alliance.

EVENTS & CONTACT US S t a y i n v o l v e d a n d k e e p i n t o u c h!

Coquille, OR 97423 Website: www,coquillewatershed.org Email: info@coquillewatershed.

Upcoming Events: November Board Meeting Cancelled.

It's a potluck! Bring a friend! 7pm at the Owen's Building/Coos County Annex in Coquille.

8 EVENTS & CONTACT US S t a y i n v o l v e d a n d k e e p i n t o u c h! Physical and mailing address: Coquille Watershed Association 390 N. Central Blvd. Coquille, OR Website: www,coquillewatershed.org info@coquillewatershed.org Phone: Donate today! Click here to donate directly. We are also on Amazon Smile! Upcoming Events: November Board Meeting Cancelled. 12/12/18 - Next Board Meeting (moved up by one week to accommodate holiday travels). It's a potluck! Bring a friend! 7pm at the Owen's Building/Coos County Annex in Coquille. Become a Member Today! Interested in getting involved and supporting the work of the Coquille Watershed Association? Become a member today! For more information please go to our website or call:

Annual Report for Fiscal Year and Future Plans for the Tillamook Bay Watershed Council

Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2012-2013 and Future Plans for the Tillamook Bay Watershed Council A report prepared for the Tillamook County Board of Commissioners August 2013 Table of Contents: Recently